The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Support for EU’ s focus on food security
Aconsumer report by the EU has confirmed that its policy of boosting food security reflects what people want from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and rural areas.
The Eurobarometer report shows that almost half of people now believe the main aim of the CAP should be a secure food supply in Europe.
This is up on a previous study in 2020, and the figure will rise further as the impact of rising prices is felt by more and more consumers.
Asked whether the CAP delivered food security, 79% said yes, and 65% agreed it brought reasonable prices, while two-thirds believed farmers could do more to mitigate climate change.
Over 90% accepted extreme weather linked to climate change affected food security, and a similar percentage said they believed rural areas were important to their future, even if they lived in towns and cities.
Meanwhile, the EU has launched an ambitious nature restoration plan which will ultimately impact marine, forestry and agricultural policy.
This is part of the Farm to Fork strategy within the Green Deal programme to reduce carbon and improve biodiversity. The aim is to achieve initial targets by 2030 and a reversal of most existing damage by 2050.
Policies include action to prevent further decline in pollinator populations, a limit on the loss of green spaces to development, the restoration of drained peatlands and a restoration of marine habitats.
In agriculture there will be a greater focus on maintaining and improving biodiversity, especially for farmland birds and other species in decline. The most controversial agricultural policy is a legally-binding 50% reduction in the use of chemical-based pesticides by 2030. Member states will set their own targets, but across the EU the 50% reduction will be legally binding.
Elsewhere, the EU has agreed a partnership deal with New Zealand. It covers a range of issues, but the real focus is on an expected bilateral trade deal, which could be agreed by the end of July. The agreement will be a test of whether in its rush to secure a trade deal with New Zealand the UK gave too much away in concessions on agriculture and food.